Robertson produces stunning pot to book set up Masters semi-final against Murphy

Defending champion Neil Robertson produced an incredible escape shot to spark a match-winning century as he saw off Mark Allen in a high-class quarter-final at the Masters.

He will now play Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals after the Englishman beat John Higgins in the 11th frame of their match as well.

In the deciding frame, Allen put Robertson in all sorts of trouble when he ran through off a red to tuck in snug behind the yellow which was just off its spot.

Staggering: Neil Robertson could not have hoped for a better outcome when snookered behind the yellow

Robertson’s only real chance of an
escape was to target a red hanging over a top pocket, and Allen could do
nothing but watch as his opponent went off the cushion and down to the
pocket, clipping in the red and landing on the black.

From there, Australian Robertson made a classy 105 to win the match 6-5, before being congratulated by Allen.

'You’d get it maybe one in 10 times. I had to apologise to Mark,' Robertson said on BBC2. 'It’s a hard way to go out of the tournament from his point of view.

'I gave myself a chance to pot it and I’m over the moon to get through.'

After the match, Allen said: 'He only fluked one ball, he
still had to go and pot the rest. Not many players would have made a
century from the way the balls were sitting.'

Four of the eight first-round matches went the distance so it was little surprise this one did too, with the pair meeting at the tournament for the third successive year.

In the points: Mark Allen hit the highest break of the tournament with a 138 in the fourth frame

Robertson drew first blood, making a frame-winning 66 after Allen had to stretch too far to make a red into the green pocket, but the Northern Irishman quickly made it 1-1.

Allen landed a long-range red in the next but broke down on 13, leaving Robertson to make a clinching 73 that was started by a plant.

Allen roared back with a brilliant 138, the highest break of the tournament, and he edged ahead with a 72 in the fifth frame, but Robertson responded with 111 to lead 4-3.

Four-all duly followed and the pattern continued, with Robertson 5-4 ahead after a 101 off a plant and Allen levelling.

Robertson’s wonder shot gave him the first chance in the decider and last year’s winner did not look back, now through to the semi-finals.

Crowd-pleaser: The match featured some stylish breaks and was the most fluent at Alexandra Palace all week

Robertson came from 5-3 down to beat Ding Junhui in the first round, and in his next match on Saturday afternoon will Shaun Murphy.

'It won’t get any easier,' Robertson said. 'World Snooker have made it as hard as possible for me, just like last year, but I think it’s probably what brings the best out of me.'

The 2010 world champion is having a decent season but has yet to claim a major title, and he hopes to rectify that on Sunday.

'I haven’t won a big one yet but this is a chance to defend it,' he added. 'I’m in the semis now and there’s only going to be four people left.'

Wistful: Allen had to watch on as Robertson stole the victory in the deciding frame

Shaun Murphy snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a Masters thriller against John Higgins to also progress to the semi finals

It seemed as though Higgins was coasting through the deciding frame as he built a 51-0 lead, but when he missed a tricky blue Murphy took his unexpected chance with a brilliant 66 break to earn a 6-5 win.

Higgins would wonder how he lost a match in which he had led 4-1 and 5-4 as he shook hands with his fellow former world champion.

Scotland's four-time Crucible champion has won two Masters titles but it has not been a tournament that has brought him consistent success, exemplified by his 10 first-round defeats.

This evening he spent most of the first frame in his seat, as Sale-based Murphy fired in an 85 break to surge ahead, but the Scot took four in a row to seize a convincing lead, albeit with a best break of 69 at that stage.

Pressure: Murphy held his nerve in the final frame to pull back Higgins' 50 point lead

In a tournament that has seen a host of fine fightbacks, Murphy dug in and runs of 70 and 77 helped him level up at 4-4, before 61 from Higgins halted his opponent's charge.

Higgins trailed in frame 10 but Murphy lost position in a break. Then, after building a 49-36 lead, Higgins missed a red to the corner as he looked to dislodge another from the side rail, and to the Scot's anguish he left it for Murphy, who this time showed no weakness in making it 5-5.

The decider, remarkably the sixth to have been required in the 10 matches that have been played at the tournament this year, seemed to be only going one way when Higgins reached 50, but he then put too much pace on the white when potting a red, leaving him a tricky blue from the side cushion.

It stayed out and Murphy had the table at his mercy, an unexpected chance. It was a moment of truth and Murphy played the break perfectly, sinking a super pink to clinch the match and a shot at Robertson on Saturday afternoon.